Which place is cheaper, Montana or California?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit California or Montana?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for California and Montana. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: California or Montana?
California
California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.
Montana
Often called Big Sky Country for its vast blue skies, Montana is a state in the northwestern United States characterized by beautiful sweeping scenery from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the flatter prairie regions of the east. Some of the top attractions include Glacier National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Yellowstone, and of course the Rocky Mountains.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.
-
California Prices
USA PricesMontana Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCalifornia $286Montana $153
The average daily cost (per person) in California is $286, while the average daily cost in Montana is $153. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for California and Montana in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCalifornia $116Montana $49
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCalifornia $232Montana $98
Compare Hotels in California and Montana
Looking for a hotel in California or Montana? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.California $42Montana $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in California
Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- World Cruise Center to Long Beach Airport(LGB)-Departure Transfer: $137
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in San Francisco HTL-APT (SFO): $138
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in San Francisco APT-HTL (SFO): $138
- The Best Transfer to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): $199
- Snow Summit to Ontario Airport (ONT) - Departure Private Transfer: $156
- Shared Airport Arrival Transfer: LAX International Airport to Anaheim, Buena Park or Garden Grove: $68
- Sedan Arrival Private Transfer San Diego Airport SAN to San Diego: $160
- Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to East Bay (one way): $262
- Santa Monica to Los Angeles Airport Departure Private Transfer: $189
- Santa Monica to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $62
- Santa Monica to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Deparure Private Transfer: $68
- San Marcos, CA to San Diego Airport (SAN) - Departure Private Transfer: $65
Is it cheaper to fly into California or Montana?
Prices for flights to both Montana and California change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayCalifornia $79Montana $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California
For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ocean Beach Walking Food Tour in San Diego: $60
- Dinner In San Francisco: $63
- Santa Monica Holiday Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Cheer & More: $70
- Santa Monica Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Churros, and More: $70
- Tijuana Walking Street Food Tour with Wild Foodie Tours: $71
- Sacramento: Chicken Curry Cooking Class With a Local Chef: $75
- Japanese Gyoza Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in LA: $75
- Fun Gyoza Cooking Class With a Local Chef in Los Angeles: $75
- Fun Pad Thai Cooking Class With a Local Chef in San Diego: $75
- San Diego Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Pastries, & More: $79
- San Diego Pizza & Gelato Walking Tour in Little Italy Small Group: $80
- Carlsbad Taco Tuesday Walking Food Tour with Margarita or Beer: $84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montana
For Montana, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Glacier National Park: Whitewater Rafting with Dinner: $123
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.California $69Montana $38
Tours and Activities in California
For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- "Dead of the Night" SB Ghost Tour History & Mystery-Children FREE: $55
- "Lake Tahoe 101" : See The Whole Lake! 6 HR Shared Tour by Van.: $230
- 1 Hour Shared Parasailing Adventure in Oceanside: $99
- 1-Hour Driving Tour from Hollywood to Beverly Hills in a Ferrari: $289
- 17 Mile Drive eBike Tour in Monterey: $59
- 17-Mile Drive Electric Bike Guided Tour: $75
- 17-Mile Drive Self-Guided Audio Tour from Monterey & Carmel: $15
- 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Peninsula&Carmel Premium Small Group Tour: $112
- 1HR San Francisco Chinatown and Downtown GoCar Tour: $99
- 2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour Plus Night Tour: $86
- 2 Hour Private Tour - Hollywood and Beverly Hills Celebrity Homes: $195
- 2 Hour Sailing Cruise on Lake Tahoe: $149
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCalifornia $21Montana $11
Sample the Local Flavors in California
Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- An Epic Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Awesome Bar Crawl in Lake Tahoe: $15
- Gaslamp Bar Crawl: $20
- San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Sonoma County Self-Guided Wine Tour: GPS Audio Driving Guide: $30
- Paso Robles Aria (Syrah Dominant) Flight Wine Tasting: $30
- Paso Robles Sonata(Red Blend) Flight Wine Tasting: $30
- Hillcrest: LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl with Local Drag Queen: $35
- Drag Bar Crawl with Drink in Los Angeles: $39
- Napa Valley Self-Guided Wine Tour: GPS Audio Driving Guide: $40
- Paso Robles Self-Guided Wine Tour: GPS Audio Driving Guide: $40
- Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between California and Montana, we can see that California is more expensive. And not only is Montana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Montana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Montana and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in California would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in California than you might in Montana.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is California Expensive? and Is Montana Expensive?.
Which has a larger population, California or Montana?
California has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Montana. When comparing the sizes of California and Montana, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.